The Salt Lake herald. [volume] (Salt Lake City [Utah]) 1870-1909, 1887-07-08

Saints had been called upon to preach
the gospel of the Son of God, and intro
duce to the human family the plan of
salvation. Through the fall of Adam
mankind had been shut out from the
presence of their Father; but He in His
mercy had revealed a plan by which
they may be restored to their former
standing in the heavens. The question
was frequently asked why it was that
if the Saints had the truth-the only
gospel-that it was not universally re-
ceived; and why the Saints were perse
cuted and reviled? Those who ask
these questions can have read history
with very little profit. The truth, in al
ages, he said, had always been opposed
and its promulgators had suffered in
dignities, persecution and often death.
Elder Cannon recited the experiences of
several of the ancients, who had under
gone suffering and persecution for
righteousness sake.
Fifty-seyen years have elapsed since
the gospel was revealed through Joseph
Smith, and the elders have visited
nearly every nation on the globe pro
claiming repentance and telling OF the
second coming of the Messiah; yet the
people are asking where are the signs
which had been told them should pre-
cede the coming of the Lord Jesus. The
speaker recited what Jesus said should
be the manner of His coming. The
world were closing their eyes to what
was transporting in this day. What
greater miracle could be referred to
than the gathering of the thousands OF
Saints TO the wales OF Utah-lt was I'M
paralleled in the history of the world.
The Saints had seen many evidences of
the power of God; yet the outside did
not look upon these things in the light
of miraculous, but considered that they
were natural events. Everything pre-
dicted with regard to the Zion of the
latter days would be fulfilled.
The SAINTS talked of the prosecutions
they were undergoing; but Elder Can
non thought that the Saints had among
themselves evils which should be eradi-
Gated from their midst ere they can
| look for that redemption tor which they
so earnestly look. Persecution never
yet turned a people from the main
| tenance of principle aud truth. Now,
when beset by trials and persecution,
the Saints looked to God for succor and
support; in theird avs OF peace they
neglected to approach the Throne of
| Grace. If the SAINTS could but realize
the position they occupy in the earth
as reformers and redeemers, they
would live more and more in
accordance with the mind and will of
God. Joseph Smith and the elders who
had gone behind the veil were laboring
| for the advancement of the work of
God. The course of the illiterate boy,
Joseph Smith, and the result of his
labors, which was eliminating in the
gathering of the Saints, were mentioned
as evidences that God was in the work.
He closed by exhorting all to be true
to their covenants and to the gospel.
APOSTLE II. J. GRANT was pleased
with again having the opportunity of
meeting with the Saints, after an alb
sence of several months. He desired
the advancement of the work of God
and the spread of righteousness, and he
delighted in doing what he could in that
service. The Saints were accused of
being deluded-fanatical. An indi-
| long as he himself knew he was en-
gagged in the work of God. The elders
of the Latter-day Saints went forth to
all the world and proclaimed that the
angel restoring the gospel had flown
through the midst of heaven. The
world say the leaders of the Latter
day-Saints are cunning men. Ger
tainly they are so. if. indeed, there is
no inspiration. All Latter day-Saints
had the same testimony; all knew they
! had received the truth from heaven.
| The Saints need lear no one, but their
own acts must be looked to. Do the
Saints appreciate the goodness of God
toward them, he asked? He was afraid
not. 1t behooved them to live as
! becomes Saints of God; to
show to the world by their acts
that they are Gods people. The trials
of the past two or three years had done
more to cause unity, to restrain the
people from their careless habits; there
had not been any but had remembered
| God in the days of their tribulation.
DE reVered men for their maintenance
of principle. He had found ignorance
abroad in the States with regard to mat
tiers in Utah. Their ideas with regard to
the number in polygamy were very err
| roneous. There was but a very small
| minority, and he was puzzled to know
the justice of depriVing the majority of
rights because of the transgressions of a
few. The acts OF the Saints in doing
good had often been misconstrued
and misrepresented. No man can take
away another's reward for doing good,
He supplicated God for light and
knowledge as to His will, and said il
was the duty of every Latter day Saint
to do likewise, and when they have
received it they should live accordingly.
PRESIDENT ANGUS NJ. CANNON next
spoke, briefly testifying to the truths
which had been enunciated. Joseph
Smith, he said. had proclaimed that the
Constitution was framed and calculated
to give liberty to the oppressed of all
nations; that the liberties of the people
would become jeopardized; but that the
elders of the Lstter-day Saints would
| yet rescue the Constitution from i'm
pending peril. God has designed that
the Saints shall be true to every Consti-
tutional law enacted for their guidance.
He honOred men for being true to
their wives, their children, their God
and their country. God required the
Saints to maintain the sacred prin
clples OF liberty guaranteed by the Con-
SCltQtlOD and for which tho Dotr;ofc 80